Let's keep the warhorse musics going on strong. But don't lecture me on artistry, please. That's what music is all about. Not Bielman spins. However, if fans go beserk with the usual Carmen rendition, let it be. It bores me to tears and I wont change. Who has the best Carmen? Who cares? The only way I could answer that would not be a skater, but Rita Hayworth or Dorothy Dandridge were good Carmens. I haven't found that level of artistry in figure skating.

Easy music to skate to, imo, would be: Carmen, Don Q., Malaguena, and so many others that you hear every year. Maybe, this is the way figure skating should be.

While I agree with your comment about figure skaters not being musical, I completely disagree with this remark. How exactly does skating to the same 5-6 songs, let alone some of the most middlebrow examples of classical, encourage an interest in music?

At this point, skating is about 50-60 years behind the curve in terms of musical usage -- it's time to start closing the gap.

Personally speaking, I would like to see the following:

- Movement away from the classical oeuvre, ie. the examples above. Who ever said something about banning Carmen, I am *so* with you!

- Increased use of contemporary music, though not neccessarily derived from pop or movie soundtracks. Look to modern composers, underground/independent musicians, etc.

- Music education. I believe that those uneducated about music will perpetuate the same stodgy ideas about what qualifies as "good" music for the sport. If skaters have to train their bodies to excel, they should also learn about music. People in dance and theatre disciplines must take vocal or instrument lessons, there should be something similar in figure skating.

While I agree with your comment about figure skaters not being musical, I completely disagree with this remark. How exactly does skating to the same 5-6 songs, let alone some of the most middlebrow examples of classical, encourage an interest in music?

...or in new fans to Figure Skating?

I agree with every word of the post I quoted - just left the rest out. I personally think that pop or whatever is fine, music is a universal expression and language. If judges let bias be a part of their points awarded they should be sent packing, be that as unrealistic as it may, that is my feeling. But I do see some of the reasons there are limits, yet can't agree with all of them.

I really think the Judging system is to blame for the lack of diversity, if you use something new you will be deducted. No wonder people have their doubts about the integrity of the sport. Not to mention what happened 4 years ago to just confirm the questionability in the minds of the "interested but unsure if.." Not fair or a realistic view, yet the "greater pubic" are very easily swayed in judgment.

One thing I would hate to do is steer the older and still loving the sport crowd away. I love sitting next to "Grandma" and they always love the fact there is "someone my age" (not just 5-16 and 45 - 80) in the crowd. And they are aware there are others, but always comment about the lack of this age group "these days." I would hope the music doesn't drive them away, but I fear that has something to do with this too.

I will also mention AGAIN (please someone important hear this) BETTER SOUND SYSTEMS!!!!!! I know for a fact (friends in the home and public theater audio specialist) this is possible regardless of the ice. They always point out how sound that is used for sporting events is centralized. Granted this would mean a very expensive change to the set up in arenas, but most of that is PA placement, more mounting and wire. The rest is frequency modulation during music. Still would not be perfect (they say "you have to start with the right equipment, and there is only so much you could do) but there is room for improvement there as well.

I know I am a dreamer.:boohoo:

I have been trying to load you link for around 4 minutes now and am really existed to read it. Well now it didn't load , could you PM it to me? Please. Or retry the link?????

Well, following Joe's post quoted above, I think the point can be made like this.

We have no realistic expectation that teenaged athletes (many of them home schooled) would have any knowledge of music at all, and even less interest in acquiring any.

Those "middlebrow" sing-along classics like Carmen -- well, I think Joe is right to say that you can just sort of swing along to the beat -- "Tor-e-a-do-ra, bump-de-dump-de-dum" -- and then when you are resting between jumps you can click air castanets (ladies) or wave air cape (gentlemen).

-- Which is better than skating to no music at all. (I live in perpetual hope that someone will attempt Cage's 4'33" -- I think the reason no one has taken it on is that for a men's LP you would have to cut off 3 seconds.)

I think it is telling that Evan Lysacek (after doing Carmen for his LP last season) chose for his exhibition number, "the last three songs on my ipod."

For Melissa and Denis (for those who don't know whom I refer to think Gregory & Petukhov lol) I would love to see them skate to "I Won't Dance" by Michael Buble and *brain fart - can't remember her name* It'd be a flirty and fun number for them and I love that type of program for them. They don't get to do those enough. Maybe this season we'll see something along those lines

nubka - yes Yuka Sato did use it, and won the World Pro with it... Angela Nikodinov has also used it... as well as Janet Lynn if I'm not mistaken...